Projectile



Patented Dec. 23,1919.

2 $HEETS-SHEET I.

PROJECTILE, v

APPLICATION FILED MAR-13,1918.

FIBJ...

- J. B. SEMPLE;

f'I I f 2 J B. SEMPLE.

PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-13,1918.

1,325,757. Patented Dec. 23,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR JOHN B. SEMPLE, OF SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA. 1

PROJECTILE.

Application filed March 13, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. SEMPLE, residing at Sewickley, in the countyof Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizenof the United States,have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements inProjectiles, of which improvements the following is a specification.

In my United States Letters Patents No. 1,131,164, No. 1,172,636 and No.1,172,637, I have shown and described explosive projectiles eachincluding in its assembly a burster charge of a relatively inert highexplosive, such as tri-nitrotoluene, a detonator of a relativelysensitive explosive such as fulminate of mercury, and a member movablein a runway by the centrifugal force of the rotating projectile from aposition of det0nation obstruction to a position permitting detonationtransmission. The detonation controlling members, are in some instancescentrifugally movable locking bolts, and in other instances they aremembers carrying a portion of a train of detonation transmissionextending from the detonator. to the burster charge. In each instancethey are slidably mounted in runways disposed perpendicularly to thelongitudinal axis of the projectiles so that their movements topositions permitting detonation transmission may take place by reason ofthe rotation of the projectile while it is still in the bore of a gun.This arming of the projectile ordinarily occurs just within the muzzleof a gun, and it is conceivable that, with the projectile thus armed, itmight explode within such bore due to a deformation or 0bstruction inthe muzzle of the gun or to some other unforeseen and uncontemplatedcause.

My present invention relates to projectiles of the character disclosedin and contemplated by my aforementioned patents, and the object thereofis to provide a projectile wherein a detonation controlling member willnot come to detonation permitting or transmitting position until afterthe projectile has passed beyond the muzzle of a gun.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

I have illustrated my invention in its adapt-' abilit to projectilesspecifically shown in my a ove-mentioned Patents No. 1,131,164 and No.1,172,687. It will however be understood that in itsbroader aspects, myinvention contemplates, as do such patents, other specific embodimentsthan those shown Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Dec. 23, 1919. Serial No. 222,237.

herein. Figure l is a view in longitudinal section through the base plugand adjacent parts of a projectile of the type shown in my Patent No.1,131,164; Figs. 2 and 3 enlarged sectional views taken, respectively,on the lines II-II and IIIIII, Fig. 1; Fig. 4. a sectional view taken onthe line IV-IV, Fig. 2.; Fig. 5 a detached sectional view showing amodification of construction; Fig. 6 a view similar to F ig. 1 showingmy invention as applied to projectiles of the type shown in my PatentNo. 1,172,637; Fig. 7 an enlarged sectional view taken on the linesVIIVII, Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 a sectional view taken on the line VIIIVIII,Fig. 6.

. lVhile my invention in its broader aspects is not limited tocentrifugally operated detonation controlling members, it is illustratedand described herein, and in its preferred embodiment I so dispose suchmember that, during the acceleration period of the projectile, theinertia of the member will more than counterbalance the centrifugalforce tending to move it to armed, that is to saydetonation-transmitting or permitting, position, but that upon thecessation of the projectiles acceleration the controlling member will bemoved by centrifugal force to armed position.

While it isknown that the acceleration of a projectile continues(however at a rapidly diminishing rate) after the projectile leaves thebore of a gun and for a space of a few feet beyond the muzzle, the mainperiod of acceleration occurs while the projectile is in the gun, andthe object of my invention is attained when the projectile is maintainedunarmed until it fully clears themuzzle of the gun. 7

Referring first to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1sive; the cavity of the projectile within which the burster charge iscontained is indicated at 1, and adjacent thereto is a booster charge Bcontained in a base plug 2, the booster charge being in effect a part ofthe burster charge. The detonator, which may be a body of fulminate ofmercury D, is contained in a carrier 6 movable in a runway 3 disposedtransversely to the longitudinal axis of the projection from a positionof detonation, obstruction to one of deto: nation transmission, theformer position being indicated in the drawings. To discharge thedetonator, a suitable fuse is contained within acasing 8, and includesin its to 4 inclu- Y structure a firing pin 12 adapted, when theprojectile strikes, to hit a priming cap 13 which in turn discharges abody of explosive 1a and causes afiame to flash rearwardly through theindicated passageways to the detonator. general construction of thistype of pro jectile reference may be had to my afore mentioned PatentNo. 1,131,16e.

In operation, the detonator carrier 6 is held normally in the positionindicated in the drawings, the detonator charge D being at such aninterval 0r space from the booster charge B that even it the detonatorshould become accidentally and prematurely discharged the booster chargewould not be detonated. To hold the detonator in this position ofdetonation obstruction until after the projectile leaves the muzzle of agun a pair of spring-pressed locking bolts 4': are arranged in a runway5 which is, as seen in Fig. 3, inclined to the longitudinal axis of theprojectile. The bolts may pass through the detonator carrierand meet sustantially at the center or axis of the projectile. When the projectileis fired both bolts will, due to their inertia, simultaneously move downthe inclined runway and retain the detonator in its normal indicatedposition, rather than become immediately separated by the centrifugalforce of the rotating projectile. After the nroj ectile leaves the muzzlof a gun and the main period of acceleration has consequentlytranspired, the locking bolts, no longer forced rearwardly by reason oftheir inertia, will become separated by the rotation of the projectileand release the detonator ca *rier so that it will be free to move bycentrifugal force to detonation transmission position at the oppositeend of the runway 5.

The same end may be attained by inclining the detonator runway 3 in themanner indicated in Fig. 5. With the detonator runway so inclined, thelocking bolts l may be in runways either perpendicular or inclined tothe longitudinal axis of the projectile.

The angle of inclination of the detonator or looking bolt runways may bevaried according to the particular requirements of difierentprojectiles, and will'depend upon the relation existing between the rateof acceleration of the projectile and the centrifugal force imparted tothe centritugally movable detonation controlling whether it be the boltsa or the detonator carrier 6 of the above explained embodiment of myinvention. In practice I have found that in a 7 5 millimeter explosiveprojectile the desired results may be obtained by inclining the runwayabout twenty degrees from a line perpendicular to the axis of theprojectile.

In. the type of projectiles illustrated in For further explanation ofthe member,

6, 7 and 8, the detonator 15 and the booster charge 16, which is ineffect a part or the burstcr charge contained in the cavity 17 01"- theprojectile, are immovable with relation to each other, and are separatedfrom each other by a wall 18 which, except for a path of detonationtransmission, is effective to preserve the burster charge 16 fromdetonation in case of prematur discharge of the detonator 15. The pathof detonation, to which reference has been made, extends through thewall 18, in the form of a column 19 of detonation-transmitting material,from the detonator to the burster charge. The continuity of this columnis interrupted by a runway 20 inclined or oblique to the longitudinalaxis of the projectile, in which column there are arranged a pair ofoverlapping bolts 21 spring pressed toward each other and the axis of thprojectile. The. overlapping ends or the bolts 21 are themselvesprovided with columns 22 01 detonation transmitting Imaterial, whichcolumns are, in the normal position of the bolts indicated in thedrawings, so disposed with relation to each other and to the columns 19as to interrupt the path of detonation transmission.

When the projectile is fired the bolts 21 will, by reason 0r theirinertia and the obliquity of the runway 20, move down the run way andmaintain interrupted the path or train of detonation transmission du'ing the acceleration of the projectile. Upon the cessation of the pr jectiles acceleration, the bolts will be centrifugally separated to aposition wherein the columns 19 and 22 form a continuous path ofdetonation trans mission from the detonator to the burster charge, thatis to say the projectile will become armed so that when it strikes .ndthe detonator is discharged, detonation will be transmitted to theburster charge.

To hold th bolts in armed position suitable lockin means may be used ifdesired. For such purposerthere is shown in Fig. 8 a spring pressed lock23 lying in a recess in one of the bolts 21. The other bolt is providedwith a recess 2 L into which the lock 23 is spring pressed when suchlock and recess come to registering position, which position correspondswith the position of alinement of the columns 22 with the columns 19.

From the foregoing description of my invention, its adaptability to thetype of projectiles shown in my Patent No. 1,172,636, aswell as to othertypes of projectiles, will be readily understood without further orspecific explanation.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an explosive projectile, the combination with a burster charge anda'detonator, of a detonation-controlling member movable in a runwayoblique to the axis of rotation of the projectile from a position ofdetonation obstruction to a position permitting detonation transmissionbetween the detonator and burster charge.

2. An explosive projectile provided with a runway disposed obliquely tothe longitudinal axis thereof, and including in combination a burstercharge, a detonator, and a detonation-controlling member movable in saidrunway from a position of detonation obstruction to a positionpermitting detonation transmission between said detonator and burstercharge, the obliquity of said runway and the inertia of said memberbeing effective to prevent said member from moving to saidlast-mentioned position during the acceleration period of the projectilein the bore of a gun.

8. An explosive projectile provided with a runway disposed obliquely tothe longitu dinal axis thereof, and including in combination a burstercharge, a detonator, and a pair of centrifugal bolts movable in saidrunway from a position of detonation 0bstruction to a positionpermitting detonation transmission between said detonator and burstercharge, the obliquity of said runway and the inertia of said bolts beingeifective to prevent said bolts from moving to said last-mentionedposition during the acceleration period of the projectile in the bore ofa gun. I

4. In an explosive projectile, the combination of a burster charge, adetonator, a train of detonation transmission extending from saiddetonator to said burster charge, a section of said train lying in arunway oblique to the axis of rotation of the projectile and beingmovable in said runway by the can trifugal force of the rotatingprojectile, but only after the acceleration period of the projectile inthe bore of a gun, the movement of said section being from a normalposition of interruption to a position of detonation continuity.

5. In an explosive projectile, the combination of a burster charge, adetonator, a train of detonation transmission extending'from saiddetonator to said burster charge, a member carrying part of said trainand movable in a runway oblique to the axis of rotation of theprojectile, by the centrifugal force of the rotating projectile, butonly after the acceleration period of the projectile in the bore of agun, from a normal position of interruption to a position of deto nationtransmission.

6. In an explosive projectile, the combination of a burster charge, adetonator, a wallseparating said detonator from said burster charge,said wall being provided with a runway oblique to the axis of rotationof the projectile, a bolt arranged in said runway, and a detonation pathformed in said wall from said detonator to said burster charge and madecontinuous through said bolt, said bolt being movable in said runway bythe centrifugal force of the rotating projectile, but only after theacceleration period of the projectile in the bore of 'a gun, from aposition interrupting the continuity of said path to a position makingsaid path continuous.

7. In an explosive projectile, the combination of a burster charge, adetonator, a wall separating said detonator from said burster charge,said wall being provided with a runway oblique to the axis of rotationof the projectile, a pair of oppositely movable overlapping centrifugalbolts arranged in said runway, and a detonation path formed in said wallfrom said detonator to said burster charge and made continuous throughsaid bolts when moved oppositely under centrifugal force, the obliquityof said runway and the inertia of said bolts being effective to preventsaid bolts from moving centrifugally during the acceleration period ofthe projectile in the bore of a gun.

S. An explosive projectile provided with a runway disposed oblique tothe axis of rotation thereof, and including in combination a burstercharge, a detonator, a path of detonation transmission extending fromsaid detonator to said burster charge, and a detonation controllingmember, movable in said runway by the centrifugal force of the rotatingprojectile from a position of detonation obstruction to a position ofdetonation transmission between said detonator and burster charge, saidmember being immovable to its last-mentioned position during theacceleration period of the projectile in the bore of a gun.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

PAUL N ORrroHLow, FRANCIS J. TOMASSON.

